


Finding Our Way to Each Other

by AmyOtterCat



Series: Inevitable [2]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Mentions of Death, Nudity, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-29
Updated: 2018-08-29
Packaged: 2019-07-04 02:29:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15831894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmyOtterCat/pseuds/AmyOtterCat
Summary: moments out of Ren and Noras life through the current seasons. (one chapter per season). fairly short and fluffy friends to lovers.





	1. Familiarity is Your Arms

**Author's Note:**

> I have been working on this for a bit, but I wrote it all out of order. So since it’s done I’m posting all of it at once! Hope you enjoy. 
> 
> all characters belong to RoosterTeeth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren and Nora get their sleeping arrangements

The first night in their new dorms was strange. Ren found himself lying awake, one arm cradling his head, staring up at the ceiling. He just couldn't sleep, a very rare phenomenon for him. And he didn't like it. The whole place was too noisy, the blankets too hot but the air blowing in the window too cold, it was just wrong. Then the weight on the edge of his bed caused him to scoot over and a warm body tucked up next to him. Nora twined her fingers around the pink streak in his hair again and again. 

"I can’t sleep. Too excited. I just can't believe we are here and on the same team and we get to start classes and training and make new friends. Do you think we will fight much or it will be more technical stuff? I want to fight. You know me just can't sit still." Nora babbled incessantly as usual. Luckily she kept it to a whisper, in consideration of their roommates. Ren yawned, suddenly sleep was in his grasp. When he pulled the covers up over the both of them she paused in her chatter to steal most of the blanket and he took the opportunity to slip in a word or two. 

"Goodnight Nora."

"Boop." she poked his nose then flopped down and took his pillow too. 

If either of their new companions noticed the way Ren was curled protectively around a loudly snoring Nora come morning, they were polite enough not to say anything.


	2. Comfort Food, Comfort Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the team settles into beacon, Ren and Pyrrha have a talk

Pancakes had become a team JNPR ritual. After a particularly hard test in class or training exercise, or even just to brighten up a Monday morning, they had pancakes. Ren always cooked. It wasn't that the others were incapable (though he had his doubts) it was that he liked it. He liked making them happy and providing necessary sustenance.

Pyrrha had gotten him the "please do nothing to the cook" apron after a particularly messy incident involving a Nora hug/tackle and syrup. The little dorm kitchen had practically become his second home, and they had claimed the table closest to the stove as JNPR territory. 

This morning Jaune was the first to breakfast, yawning and groggily shifting down in his chair while pulling the sleeves of his onesie back into place. Nora and Pyrrha would be back from their jog soon. Ren dexterously flipped another pancake onto the stack then poured orange juice from the pitcher into four glasses around the table. 

As soon as the ladened serving plate graced the table top Nora appeared as if summoned, dragging a politely smiling Pyrrha with her. Breakfast was a blur of laughter and animated hand motions. Homework was discussed, food was devoured. Pyrrha made heart eyes at the oblivious Jaune and comforted him over their latest exam score. Ren and Nora exchanged a knowing glance. All too soon Nora had scurried off the the showers and Juan shuffled back to the room, saying he just wanted five more minutes to cram. Pyrrha lagged behind to help clean up.

Ren carefully handed each dish to his friend who toweled them off and put them back in the cupboard. 

“Sooooo,” the the red-head tilted her head conspiratorially, “Why aren’t you and Nora ‘together together’”? 

Ren almost dropped a glass. 

“She really is head over heels for you. You know that right?”

“Yes.” Ren side-eyed his teammate. “I am observant.” 

“And you do like her.” Pyrrha smiled softly and kept stacking plates. 

Ren just nodded. 

“Then what’s stopping you?” Pyrrha carefully avoided Ren’s hand while taking the next dish, which he was grateful for. This was emotional uncomfortable enough without adding unnecessary physical contact. 

Ren silently continued scrubbing for a while, thinking. He knew he trusted Pyrrha, could talk to her about all the things holding him back. After all, she would understand. She hadn't even told Jaune of her feelings because of the boys own infatuation with Weis. 

“It’s not the right time for us.” He nodded. That was accurate. 

“Ren...” Pyrrha sighed softly, clearly thinking he was avoiding the answer. 

“Why are we talking about this?” Ren just kept scrubbing so he didn’t have to meet her eyes, despite the fact that not a single piece of flatware or cutlery had a speck of food left on it. 

“Because I care about you, both of you. You are more than my teammates, You are... my best friends.” The girl turned and leaned against her back against the counter, pulling her hair over her shoulder habitually. 

“Nora is my best friend.” 

Pyrrha frowned for a moment. “If you are worried about messing it up, you shouldn’t. Ren you are never, never, going to lose Nora. Even if you don’t... stay together... we will always be a team. JNPR.” She put a hand on his shoulder conspiratorially. 

Ren nodded. Pyrrha let her hand slip away again. “So are you going to ask her out?”

“No.”

“Hey. Showers are free.” Nora poked her head around the corner, tips of her orange hair dripping with excess moisture. 

“Thanks!” Pyrrha jumped. 

“What were you talking about?” The ginger bounced into the room. “Mee?”

“N-no!” Pyrrha stuttered.

“Yes.” Rin stated simply.

His best friend and partner pouted. “Is it cause I ate all the syrup again?” 

“Again? Nora I just bought this...” he stared longingly at the empty bottle. 

“I’ll get the next one!”

“NO!” He shouted quickly. They would end up with something with more sugar than maple... and probably artificially colored bright pink. “If you really want to make it up to me you get to do the dishes for the next week. Without breaking them.”

As they quibbled he saw Pyrrha slip silently out the door. It was a nice try. But he meant what he said. Not the right time for them. They were together went they? Even if not “together together”. He could wait.


	3. Old Habits Die Hard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> life on the road as RNJR.  
> warning: mentions of Pyrrha's death, mentions of animal hunting and preparing.

Nora tossed Ren the rabbits she had snared, glancing quickly around. “You should prep those before the others get back. I don’t think either Ruby or Jaune would like how cute dinner is.”

Ren just nodded. They had gotten used to this a long time ago, living in the wilds in-between towns. 

“Hopefully Ruby found some tubers, that would go well in the stew”. Ren had already removed the pelts and had started carving the meat. 

“Yeah. Rabbit water isn’t the best.” Nora snickered. 

“Are you insulting my cooking?” To anyone else Ren would have sounded genuinely upset, but Nora knew his nuances.

“I would NEVER!” she gasped in mock indigence. A corner of his mouth curled up. Mission accomplished. Sitting herself on the log beside him she scooted closer and closer as Ren finished the prep work and tossed the meat into their cook pot. Thank goodness for collapsible kitchen implements. When she was practically shoulder to shoulder he spoke up.

“What are you doing?”

“I’ve missed you.” she threw her arms around her partner and nuzzled into his neck.

“Nora, we spend every day together.” He rolled his eyes. Every day since they were like 5. Nora knew this but... saying she missed him was the closest she got to saying how her heart felt when she wasn’t within two feet of the raven haired man. 

“Boop!” she poked his nose. Someday, he would know what she meant. 

“Oh am I... interrupting” Ruby wiggled her eyebrows, smile splitting from ear to ear. 

“No.” Ren stirred the water, oblivious to the sloth-like attachment that was Nora. “Did you find anything?”

“Maaabey?” The young silver eyed maiden held out a handful of mushrooms. “I think they’re fine. I wish my dad had taught me more about this stuff.” She laughed nervously. Nora disengaged herself and bounced over to inspect the offering. 

“Add em to the pot!” 

Soon Juane returned with some questionable vegetation and Ren finished the stew, flavoring it from his little stash of spices until it tasted like food instead of a mishap. 

“I’ll take first watch.” Juane volunteered, nursing his empty bowl. Just like every night. 

“Nope!” Nora took the dishes and stacked them to be rinsed in the nearby stream. 

“I can do it. I need to train anyway,” the blond clutched his scroll, “I need to be stronger.”

“You need to rest.” Ruby started shaking out her sleeping bag. “You can take last watch and do some dawn training instead.” 

“I guess seeing the sunrise with Pyrrha would be nice.” He muttered to himself. 

“She would like that.” Ren tossed the swordsman his pack before unfurling his own. Nora took her bag and slipped into it before hopping over to a rock on the edge of camp and scrunching down like a caterpillar. 

“I saw another clearing a little ways off, to the east. Perfect view.” She spread her fingers out, hands just popping over the edge of her bag. 

“Sounds good.” Jaune snuggled down on the opposite side of the fire from Ruby. “Sleep well everyone.” he yawned loudly. 

As Nora’s watch began she marveled at the beauty of twilight. There were days when she dreaded night. When bad memories of giant monsters plagued her. When she closed her eyes and remembered Pyrrha’s smile. But then there were moments like this. Good friends sleeping a few feet away, safe. A clear sky overhead. Frogs chirping. She couldn’t help but glance at Ren’s face, contemplating his sharp jaw and perfectly angled lips. When she looked away her gaze caught on grey eyes that snapped quickly closed as the pretended to be asleep. 

Ok, so maybe she was pretty obvious with her crush. But she couldn’t help it. The boy was too pretty. Not to mention he knew her better than anyone else and still wanted to be around her, who wouldn’t fall in love with that?


	4. All Together Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the crew arrive in Mistral, post drop-ship, pre-Haven visit.

They arrived at the Inn, exhausted. Jaune approached the desk in an attempt to secure them a room while the others hung back just slightly behind him. As soon as the air ship landed Crowe fluttered off somewhere, probably a bar, and usually collapsed on the floor if he bothered to show up before morning so...

“Two double rooms please.” The blond boy started digging out cash from the odd jobs they had taken on during their travels. It had kept them housed and fed thus far. 

“Oh I’m sorry, sir. We only have one double left, and a handful of deluxe suites.” 

Jaune sighed and hung his head. Accommodations had been getting more and more crowded as they approached the city, what with people migrating to the perceived safe zones since the fall of beacon. Thumbing through the money he knew they couldn’t afford nicer rooms.

“Can we get two roll-away beds in one double room?” 

The clerk hissed through her teeth.

“Again, I am so sorry, but we don’t offer rollaways. The double has a pull-out couch, and I can get you a lot of extra pillows...” She trailed off, looking over the raggedy group with some pity. 

“That will be fine.” Ren spoke up, and Jaune turned to stare at him with comically large eyes. 

“Um... ok... yeah. What the man said. One double room with a pull out and extra pillows.” Jaune handed over the money and both Nora and Ruby laughed at how he shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot.

The elevator ride up to their lodging on the third floor was silent except for Ruby’s cheerful humming and Jaune’s occasional conspicuous cough. Once at the door he slid the key card in and Nora burst through, making a beeline for the bed by the window before Ren gently grabbed her shoulder. 

“But... bed.” She pouted. 

“Who wants the window bed?” Ren asked calmly. “Besides Nora.” He added as she opened her mouth. 

“I’ll take the pull out!” Ruby chirped, rocking back and forth from her heels to toes and looking expectantly from Jaune to Ren and Nora and back. A sly smile twitched at the corner of her mouth.

“I like being by the door anyway” Jaune’s fist tightened on the handle of his weapon and Ren nodded. That he completely understood. As soon as he released his partner she flung herself on the bed and rolled all the covers into a burrito around her.

“G’night team” she snuggled down into her cocoon. Jaune and Ren both dropped their bags between the beds and the rest of the group began getting ready for the night as Nora proceeded to snore loudly. They each took turns changing into their pajamas and then crammed into the bathroom to brush their teeth together. It must have seemed strange from the outside Ruby pondered, but had become part of their nightly routine. The dance of elbows and who got to the sink first was much like combat, and kept them in sync as well as relieving some tension. Well usually. Tonight Jaune was stiff as a board and only did the bare minimum before setting his toothbrush on the counter and turning to face them. 

“Are we going to talk about this?” He whispered with a tinge of panic as soon as the other two finished up. 

“About what?” Ren raised an eyebrow, his voice the same even monotone as ever.

“You and Nora!” Ruby practically shouted. 

“Me and...” Ren trailed off, caught in between his two team members. 

“Are you two TOGETHER together?” Ruby leaned in closer (somehow) and poked at Ren’s chest. “I mean I KNEW it was going to happen.” She nodded confidently. 

“How will this affect the team?” Jaune had one arm drawn across his chest, hand rubbing at his other forearm that remained stiff at his side. 

“Jaune this is ROMANCE!” Ruby glared at him. “Don’t make it about you”

“Um-” Ren tried to butt in unsuccessfully 

“I’m just concerned!” Jaune snapped. “Will they need more time alone together? Will we expect them to share a bed from now on or is an as-needed thing? This isn’t like at school, we don’t have room for errors!“

“Um-” Ren turned to Jaune and tried to respond.

“This isn’t an error! We will let them find their own balance organically.” Ruby crossed her arms and tapped her foot in annoyance. “I’m sure they will say something if they need space as a couple. Or at least Nora will. Besides we all shared a tent last week, and Ren and Nora grew up together, if you think them sharing a bed is weird perhaps YOU need to grow up.”

“Hey-” Ren glanced worriedly to the people on-either side of him. 

“Just say what you mean!” Ruby burst out at the blond man.

“Fine! What... what if we come second now? Will it be Ren-and-Nora then Ruby then Jaune? Can we count on either one of them to be rational if the other is in danger?”

“They are professionals Jaune!” Ruby shook her head as if this was the most baseless accusation she had ever heard. 

“Guys,” Nora’s mess of red hair poked around the corner. “You woke me up.” 

“Sorry.” they both sheepishly apologized at once. 

“Besides,” she yawned “I love you all. I’m gonna have everyone's back.” She grinned and shuffled back to bed, the comforter still wrapped around her shoulders trailing out like a long dress dress. 

“She’s right.” Ren took advantage of the momentary silence. He placed a hand on each of their shoulders. “Whatever happens we are a team. Rnjr, remember. It’s Ruby AND Nora AND Jaune AND Ren. No one is an afterthought. We are all equal.”

“Ok.” Jaune smiled softly while Ruby grinned triumphantly. 

“Now can we please sleep?” Ren pleaded, his hands coming together in a small prayer. 

“Yeah, sounds good buddy.” Jaune laughed. “Sorry. It’s just.. it’s been a long day...”

“A long year” Ruby’s own laugh ended in a sigh. She turned to leave the bathroom as Ren and Jaune nodded. They quietly set up the couch bed and Ren grabbed an extra pillow, he did not even need to look to know Nora had claimed all four that would have been on the bed. 

Once they had settled in and Ren had wrestled some covers from the ginger a quiet low voice piped up from the next bed over. 

“I am happy for you guys.” Jaune had his eyes closed but was unmistakably awake. 

“Thanks.” Ren smiled in the darkness. “Me too.”

“Me too.” Nora mumbled and rolled over to cling to her Ren. 

“Cuuuuuute!” Ruby used the same tone she did as when zwei did a trick. 

Ren sighed and began to stroke Nora’s hair, encouraging her to actually sleep. He felt more whole than he had on a while. He felt... like he had closure. As soon as justice for his family and his village had been served a weight lifted from him. Looking at his slumbering companion he wanted to say all the things he hadn’t said. That of course he needed her too, that he had loved her for so long and should have told her sooner, that he was sorry. But as Nora continue to talk in her sleep (now about crushing enemies and victory pancakes) he knew that no words would tell her more than she already knew.


	5. Warm Water and Open Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the crew has a temporary home, so Ren and Nora catch some time alone. 
> 
> warning: sexual situations, nudity.

They had a room. In a house. It was... strange. Nora clutched magnhild to her chest. From beacon to their travels in the wild to getting picked up and the last few days making their way into the city it had all been... so much. Carefully she set her weapon down next to the bed and turned to Ren where he was standing in the doorway. 

“I suppose... we could get unpacked.” She shrugged. 

“Yeah.” He nodded. “At the very least shower.” 

“Mmm.” Nora shuffled from one foot to the other. She didn’t want to say it. Perhaps it would be too weird. 

“Here.” Ren set her pajamas into her waiting hands before returning to fish out their one shared bottle of conditioner. His luscious mane did not come easy. 

“Thanks.” She scooted closer to the door. Waiting just before opening it. 

“Do you want me to come with you?” Ren still had his head in the bag, collecting his own nightwear, so he missed her immediate and stupendous blush. 

“If... if you want to.” Instant relief flooded her that he was thinking the same thing. 

“Mmhumm.” Ren brushed past her, the door closing with a soft click behind them. “It feels wrong doesn’t it.” His shoulder was close enough to brush her’s as they made their way side-by-side to the bathroom on this floor. 

She knew exactly what he meant. “I guess we have been on edge for so long it’s hard to stop.” 

“Crowe said we would be safe here, but...” Ren trailed off. Nora bumped her hip against his. For so long it had been just the two of them. Then they got close to people at beacon. And that went... horribly. So right now, not having eyes on the rest of their team, it was hard not to worry that they wouldn’t just disappear. 

“Lets just enjoy some hot running water and we can make a plan tomorrow.” Nora’s chipper tone was almost convincing. Almost. Stepping over the threshold of the bathroom onto cold tiled floor caused her to let out a small squeak. Quickly she settled her bundle of clothes on the matching countertop, desperate to get into that warm water she mentioned. 

“When did you become the rational one?” Ren teased, stripping off his outer layers. 

“I have aaaalways been the rational one.” Nora made quick work of her own clothes. “You just didn’t notice.” 

“Lies.” Ren turned towards his partner to be meet with a very, very naked Nora. Any words dried on his tongue. 

She was humming and adjusting the water temperature and he only wished he could stop looking at her ass. Although part of him never wanted to stop looking at her ass. Why was this affecting him so much? He had been the one to apply burn cream to those very cheeks when she had just started experimenting with grenade powered flight. He blinked rapidly but his breath only returned as she disappeared behind frosted glass.

“You coming?” Nora’s voice was shaky. 

Ren dropped the last of his clothes and quickly followed her. 

The steam was relaxing but the vision in front of Nora was not. Ren was... a masterpiece. Nothing would convince her otherwise. She just wanted to touch him so badly, and sure they had seen eachother naked plenty of times, but this was different.

“Can I...” she stared, hand reaching out unsurely “Can I comb your hair?” Nora blurted.

“Yes?” Ren raised an eyebrow and slowly turned around, kneeling so his short girlfriend could reach. Ever so gently she ran the hot water over him then began massaging conditioner into his scalp and working through his hair with her fingers. His eyes closed and he moaned gently. That felt... super nice. And comfortable. As soon as she was done with the last knot he stood up and turned with the grace only a martial artist has, capturing her mouth in a kiss. 

Nora jumped a little, knocking the conditioner over. Ren picked it up and laughed. 

“I’m sorry.” He smiled gently.

“No no I’m sorry.” Nora began her usual blabbering. “Perhaps I pushed us too fast to far. I mean you offered to come in here with me and you kissed me but I wanted that all to happen and sometimes you just read me too well and-“ ren kissed her again, softly. 

“I love you Nora.”

“I love you too.”


End file.
